21 Drones Shot Down in January by Truck-Mounted Hellfires

In January 2026, Ukrainian soldiers shot down 21 Russian Shahed drones using American-made Hellfire missiles mounted on ground vehicles.

Yurii Ihnat, head of the Air Force Command communications department, confirmed the integration of these laser-guided missiles into the country's air defense network in a recent RBC-Ukraine podcast.

Ihnat stated that the military uses a mixed approach to counter aerial threats, deploying different systems based on the specific area of operation. He described the current setup, noting, "We have different systems, the FrankenSAM systems and there are vehicles with laser-guided Hellfire missiles."

The Hellfire family of missiles, produced by Lockheed Martin, is designed to strike armored vehicles, air defense systems, and patrol boats. The Hellfire II variant uses semi-active laser homing and can be launched from helicopters, aircraft, ground vehicles, and vessels.

Ihnat explained that ground-based assets, including man-portable air defense systems, are positioned near cities and key infrastructure to protect them. Aviation units operate in zones where ground defense is inactive to prevent friendly fire incidents. Electronic warfare equipment also plays a role by jamming Russian assets that lack advanced antenna protection.

While Ihnat did not specify the exact number of missile-equipped vehicles in service or the specific missile modifications used, he emphasized that each asset is deployed where it achieves the highest effectiveness. In rare cases, forces have even downed drones with assault rifles.